About

System Shock

$1,350,700

21,625

backers

We've done it! With the help of our thousands of dedicated, passionate, and generous backers we've raised over $1.3 million dollars to bring System Shock back to life!

These last 30 days have been a wild ride but we've enjoyed every moment of it. From reading your comments, answering your questions, and interacting with you on Discord and Twitch it's been an experience we've enjoyed more than anything else. It's clear from the overwhelming outpouring of support that System Shock means so much to so many people and we're extremely honored that you've chosen us - and entrusted us with the monumental task of remaking one of, if not the greatest game of all time. No pressure!

From everyone here at Nightdive...Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! We couldn't have done it without you and look forward to having you join us as we embark on our return voyage to Citadel Station!

Again...from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

Stephen Kick
CEO - Nightdive Studios

Here are some crowdfunding options for anyone looking to support the game after Kickstarter. These donations will still help to accomplish our stretch goals. Click the button to find out more details.

System Shock is a complete remake of the genre defining classic from 1994, rebuilt from the ground up with the Unity Engine.

System Shock was one of the first 3D games that took a methodical approach to exploration while revealing a story driven narrative through audio logs and messages scattered throughout the game world. It was a revolutionary step forward for the medium in a time when developers first began experimenting with interactive story telling.

Players were trapped aboard Citadel Station as they fought to survive against the cyborgs and mutated crew members corrupted by a maniacal A.I. known as SHODAN, one of the most treacherous antagonists ever conceived. System Shock offered an unparalleled experience that would solidify it as one of the greatest games of all time.

System Shock - Big Box Collectors Edition

We want to demonstrate our commitment and passion for System Shock by providing a fun and exciting experience to potential backers. This demo represents the look and feel that we want to achieve with the final version we'll deliver to you, our backers.
Please be aware, this is a proof of concept; the PERFORMANCE, FEATURES, and VISUALS are subject to change. We hope you enjoy your time aboard Citadel Station! SHODAN eagerly awaits your arrival...

You'll need an HTML5 capable browser to see this content.

Replay with sound

Play with sound

00:00

00:00

Caught during a risky break-in, you become indentured to a greedy TriOptimum executive. After six months in a healing coma, you awaken to discover the surgeons are missing, the station is in disrepair, and the once-prime corporate facility now teems with mindless cyborgs, robots, and mutated beings, all programmed to serve a ruthless A.I.: SHODAN. There's scarcely time to think before it unleashes the first terror...

Cortex Reaver Concept Art - by Robb Waters

To help shape and direct the existing narrative of System Shock, we've enlisted the help of Chris Avellone, who is best known for his work on a number of role-playing games,
including; Fallout: New Vegas, Wasteland 2, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, Planescape: Torment, and Fallout 2. Chris will be working closely with Stephen Kick (our Creative Director) and Jason Fader (our Project Director and Senior Producer from Fallout: New Vegas) as well as several other key developers from Fallout: New Vegas to bring modern AAA quality into the world of System Shock.

Chris has been a long-time fan of the System Shock series, and we’re very eager to work with his design expertise to improve Citadel Station.

General Features→ A modern take on System Shock, a faithful reboot; it’s not Citadel Station as it was, but as you remember it. Many improvements, overhauls and changes are being implemented to capture the spirit of what the original game was trying to convey, and bring it to contemporary gamers.→ Re-imagined enemies, weapons, and locations by original concept artist Robb Waters.→ Terri Brosius reprises her role as SHODAN, and new VO will be recorded.→ Brand new musical score composed by Jonathan Peros.→ The user interface, game mechanics, enemies, and puzzles will be updated to reflect modern aesthetics and sensibilities, while maintaining the feel of the original.

We wanted the art of System Shock to be fresh and new while still remaining true to the aesthetics of the 1994 classic. We've maintained much of the original look, while accentuating it beautifully by an array of modern rendering features such as Physically Based Rendering (PBR), screen-space reflections, real-time global illumination, ambient occlusion (HBAO), volumetric particles, and dynamic lighting. It's the world you remember:

Leading our conceptual efforts is Robb Waters, the original concept artist from System Shock, the BioShock series, Thief, and Freedom Force. He's been tasked with revisiting his work from 1994 and re-imagining it. It's been very exciting seeing his designs evolve through the process.

We want this game to be as chilling to players today as the original System Shock was when it was released in 1994. What is most important to us is taking the essence of the original game, and emphasizing that as we present it to gamers today. With the knowledge and technological improvements over the last 22 years since the original, we can communicate the story of Citadel Station more effectively than ever.

System Shock will have a dramatic and modern take on a musical score. Combining its root sci-fi elements with dynamic acoustic elements à la BioShock, we are striving to set System Shock apart from other more action-based shooters as an atmospheric and dark experience.

Though computer music software has improved exponentially in the last decade, there is no equivalent to the breathtaking and visceral sounds that real instruments can produce. We have been working with Videri String Quartet, and we are in talks with Prague's FILMharmonic Orchestra about recording the score for System Shock. They're a very professional orchestra, having recorded scores for Civilization V, Thief, Hostel, Dream Theater, and many more projects. If we can reach the stretch goal required to afford everything that it takes to record a full orchestra, the game's musical experience will be much more expressive and terrifying than would ever be possible without.

Though for a modern game like System Shock, a more restrained and dramatic approach is called for, we are also really excited to bring the old System Shock tunes back to life in an updated way! With a roster of world-class musicians, we have set a stretch goal to release a remixed version of the original soundtrack intact! Please help us to make this a reality so that we cannot only provide a strong modern gameplay experience, but also give the old tunes the love that they deserve!

Nightdive Studios is comprised of industry veterans passionate about developing a faithful reboot of one of our favorite games.

We understand the risks and challenges there are when creating a compelling experience and with the help and guidance from the original Looking Glass/Irrational Team (as well as AAA RPG developers directly on the team) we are poised to deliver a worthy entry to the System Shock universe. Here are just a few of the games we've worked on:

The full release of System Shock will be initially available for Windows and Xbox One. The Windows version will be available on Steam, Humble, and GOG (DRM-free). OSX and Linux versions will be unlocked when our first stretch goal is reached. We’re open to other platforms in the future.

Nightdive Studios is a small team of passionate and talented developers and while we're able to operate on the revenue we earn from the sales of our classic games catalog, it's only enough to continue funding our core business. With our transition into full-time development, we'll need help from you, the fans and members of the crowdfunding community to get us off to a great start. We want to make this game with the fans, and it’s important to us to remain independent for that reason. Ultimately, this game is for you. We want to ensure your voice is heard and we deliver on what you want. We've done the math, and with $900,000 we're confident we can complete the project and deliver a game (and rewards!) that every Shock fan will love - but with additional funds, we're prepared to increase the scope of the game and include some great stretch goals that will enhance everyone's experience.

We are hoping to exceed our goal in order to bring you a more exciting experience. When our stretch goals are reached, prepare yourself for what is to come including cross-platform integration, new locations, challenges, and multilingual support.

Risks and challenges

We understand that game development is difficult, and a numbers of risks are involved. Here’s how we’re dealing with that:

FINANCIAL RISK: Games are very expensive to make. We’ve worked on several big-budget games and have senior developers onboard to help budget the project properly. We have frontloaded a great deal of development using our own funds, taking on the risk ourselves. It wasn’t easy, but we’re driven to see our vision of System Shock complete and in your hands. Now, with a pre-alpha demo, we need your help to get us to the finish line!

SCHEDULE RISK: One of the biggest risks with any project is the completion timeline. Early on in a project, estimates are far less accurate than later. Fortunately, we’re starting this campaign at the 25% mark in development, so our estimates are more accurate than usual. Still, game development can be unpredictable at certain stages, and we understand that. Our goal is to do our very best to complete the game as outlined by our funding and stretch goals. Should the schedule need to change, our backers will be the first to know and we’ll be as transparent as possible. We’re in this together.

FUN RISK: Making a fun game is the ultimate goal, but it’s more of an art than a science. Often times a feature may not be as fun as we’d like, and requires more iteration. Luckily, we’re working with some amazing developers that have shipped critically acclaimed AAA titles to help ensure we’ll make the game fun and engaging. During several phases in the project, we’ll be conducting limited focus tests for every level and every feature. Through rigorous focus testing and iteration, we’ll be able to optimally tune the game and maximize the fun. We know you care a great deal about our game, and we do too. Your support will help ensure System Shock is as fun as it can possibly be!

Thank you again for your support and we can’t wait to show you the awesome content we’re going to make!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 750 or more
About US$ 750

CITADEL CREW MEMBER

+ Become an in-game Citadel Crew Member
+ Personalized in-game Portrait
+ Your Final Log Entry in-game (submit a paragraph of text describing your fate on board Citadel Station to be performed by our voice actors)
+ Citadel Crew Member Forum Badge
+ Citadel Crew Member Credit In The Game

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 10,000
About US$ 10,000

SHODAN

+ COME TO AN EXCLUSIVE PRIVATE PARTY hosted by Stephen Kick, Robb Waters and other key members of the System Shock team (must be able to travel to Portland, OR).
+ Signed Big Box Collector’s Edition (PC) by all members of the System Shock Remastered Team.
+ You will also be an honorary Board Member of the Tri-Optimum Corporation with an in game portrait of yourself hanging on the wall.
+ Shodan Hacker Forum Badge
+ Shodan Credit In The Game